Razor-blade sharpener



April 23, 1920. y G, G, FLOYD 1,710,050

nAzoR BLADE sHARPE-Nan Filed Nov. 17, 1926 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

4UNITED STATES kPartnr OFFICE.

GEORGE Gr. FLOYD, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS.

nAzonBLnnE snanrnnnn.

Application led November 17, 1926. Serial No. 148,816.

will, nevertheless, perfo rm its inten d ed sharpening or stropping action eilectively and etliciently. f

A further object o't the invention is to sup ply a device of this character which has but itew parts, which can be satistactorily used by a novice, and which is unlikely to become damaged. or injured in ordinary service.

To enable those skilled in this art to fully understand the intent-ion and its several radvantages, a present desirable andA preferred embodiment thereo'l has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing 4'torming apart oi this specification and throughout the several views of which like reference rcharacters have been employed to designate the saine parts.

1n this drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the stropper withc'lhe blade-holder and blade omitted;

Figure 2 is an elevation' oit the stropper with the ,blade-holde and blade in position; Figure 3 is an elevation el the blade-holder and its contained blade on an enlarged scale; Figure 41 i s an end elevation of 'the bladeliolder and blade;

Figure 5 is an. elevation oi the opposite end of the same parts; f

Figure 6 illustrates in seeti on the manner in which the appliance functions to strop one yside oit the blade-edge; y

Figure 7` shows in a similar inanner the device stropping the opposite side of the blade-edgeg and Figure 8 is a substantially-cent al, longitudinalfsection throughthe struct-ure on an enlarged scale, indicating the blade-hol ler and bla de inoperative relation to the sti-opper proper. n c c Referring to the drawing, it. will be perceived that Athe :novel and improved stropper includes a sheet-metal inain-boiilyll having downwardlybent ends 12, 12 and longitudinal depending flanges 18, 13 along its lengthwise edges or margins. n

In its top tace, such part or trame element of the stropper has a central, lengthwise slot enlargements 15 14 with laterally-enlarged, opposite ends 15, 15, the central portion of such top being defpressed. or sunk at 1.6, 16 at bot-h sides of the slot, whereby the curved, edge surfaces of the metal at the. slot form, parallel walls of substantial depth to maintain or support the blade-holder described hereinafter' in proper and secure position.

The blade-holder comprises a picceof sheetmetal bent at 17 to provide two, parallel, spaced parts or walls 1S and 1),both`of which have registering ribs 21, 21 on their inner faces to hold the sides 1S and 19 apart and to properly ysupport the blade 22 in the holder,

such blade having a thickened or reinforced' haelt 23 accommodated in the holder above the pair of ribs, the blade being adapted for insertion in the. holder through the open end of the latter with its sharp edge `portion projeetingdownwardly out of the holder, the bottom edges ofthe two sides 18 and 19 being deflected or bent inwardly at 24:, 24 toward one another to firmly gripithe blade between them near its sharpl edge. y

Ay bent-over lug 25 on one of the `holder sides 18 limits the lengthwise insertion of the blade and holds it correctly in position, and a top `flange 26 o't the sameside extends over the upper edge olf the blade and the companion side and Aprevents the blade from. yfalling out oi' the holder in thatdirection when such holder is demounted 'from the stropper, the lla-nge also affording means to Aprevent the lingers of the operator from slipping oli ot the holder during the stropping action.

Near one end rboth sides of the holder have small, registering, oppositely-outstanding bosses or lugs 27, 27 providedby detorming the metal, and, nearthe opopsite end of the holder, its two sides have short, registering,

open-ended slots 28, 28, the topy margins of which are on a level with the under surface of ythe double-wall shoulder 29, 29 at the other end oi the holder.

Such holder and its contained signed to be inserted downwardly or edgewise into the slot 1li with the. lugsor projections 27, Q7 in register with one oi' the slot throughl which they pass7 whereupon the holder is slid lengthwise shifting such retaining or locking vtop wall of body 11 on opposite sides ott-he narrow sloty 11i, as shown in Figure 8, that is, out ofregister with its enlarged. end 15, and

ylocking the other end of the holder against displacement by its slots 28, Q8 receiving that blade are dek lugs below the k2V f 1,710,050

' part of the top wall of the element ll just beyond the opposite or other slot enlargement l5 (see Figure 8). Y Y

lVhen thus inserted and displacec7 the holder and its blade are fixedly and rigidly locked to the member 1l in its slot 14e; Y

Obviously, by a reverse movement of the parts involved, the holder can be easily demounted and the sharpened blade removed therefrom with facility.

Each end wall l2, l2 has a double bearingmeniberor lever 3l rockingly mounted thereon at 30 at. its middle and providing two bearings 32, 32.

Two, substantially-parallcl rollers 33, 33 made, for example7 of wood, have metal pintles or journals 34, 3amounted in their opposite ends'with their protruding terminal parts accommodated and revoluble in the bearings 32, 32 of the two,'suppoi'ting ele ments 31,31. A

Each end of each such roller vhas a tracf tion-wheel or cylindrical-disc 35 lixed thereto, as by a pinBG, and each r ller proper is spirally covered with a stropping material 37, such as leather, the ends of which are clamped in place by the bent-over tongues 38 of suitable metal washers, the wheels being' somewhat greater' in diameter than the cylindrical stroppers proper.

Each stropping-roller at one end has iis:- edly mounted on its pintle or shaft a round toothed or notch d 'disc 39 designed at times to cooperate with ,the corresponcing, downwardly and inwardly'prejecting end al of a double-ended springll, the central portion of which is secured lined tothe under face ofthe top-wall ll in any approved or convenient manner.

Assuming that a blade 22 to be Vsharpened has been placed in the blade-holder and that the latter has bcenmounted in the stropper in the manner described above, the operator grasps the blade-holder as a handle and rocks the member 1l and such blade-holder on the hinge or pivot pins ,30 untilV one side of the blade-edge is bearing on one ofthe stroppingrollers, as shown, for instance, in Figure 6, in which relation of the parts one of the spring ends l-l cooperates as a locking pawl or dog with the corresponding notched disc 89 preventing clockwise but allowing countercloclrwise revolution thereof.-

The operator Vthen pushes the `appliance from him to the left as viewed in G, the traction-wheels 35 rolling on any suitable, flat, supporting surface, such as a tabletop, therebycausing the two stropping-rollers to turn, the then active rear one performing its intended sharpening or stropping function, the other front one revolving idly.

c Of course, any reverse rotative movement of such active roller is prevented by the coacting spring end and notched disc or wheel, the former constituting a yielding holding 1pawl which rides over the teeth of the disc when the latter is revolved in the one operative counterclockwise direction, but ellectually eliminating Vthe possibility of rotation in the other direction, which, if allowed to occur, would probably mean injury to the 'stropping leather by the blades sharp or cutting edge.

lli/hen the forward stroke or movement of the ainiliziiice'lizis been completed, the operator swings the combined or united body ll and the blade-holder and blade on the pivots' 30, 3() to bring the opposite side of the blades cutting edge into contact with the other stropping-roller, thereby also moving the other end of the spring into cooperative relation Vwith the other now active notched wheel to prevent backward turning of the stropping-roller (see Figure 7). Y

Then the operator rolls the appliance towards him, to the right as viewed in Figure 7, causing the revolution of the rollers through the traction-wheels and effecting the stroppingvof such side of the blade-edge, counterclockwise rotation of the left hand roller be- Ying'prevented by the catch but proper cloclrwise revolution thereof being` permitted to accomplish the stropping action.

Such reciprocatory movements of the appliance and its parts are repeated a suliicient number of times to assure the production of a lreen cutting edge on the blade, whereupon the holder is removed from tl e stropper and the sharpened blade taken out.

From the above description. it will be understood that the stroppingsrollers, as well as their ratchet-devices, are rendered active .in alternation during the forward and reverse strokes or movements of the appliance over a smooth surface and that the opposite sides of the edge of the blade are stropped in repeated successions.

Inasmuch as the two supportingr elements 3l, 3l are not rigidly connected together, a certain freedom of movement is permitted in the rollers which assures an eilicient traction over the supporting surface even if the latter may not be exactly true. Y c The rollers, their traction-wheels, and the parts 3l may be considered as a. small supporting truck on which the main-body and its blade-holder are rockingly mounted at 30, 30. n

Those skilled in this art will readily understand that the invention, as defined by the appended claims, is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of construe` tion illustrated and described and that many changes of a more or less radical character may be incorporated in the device without departure from the heart and essence of the inventio Y. f

I claim:

l.' ln a'raZor-blade stropper, the combination of supporting-means, combined traction-wheels and etropping-rollers rigidly connected together and unitedly revolubly mounted in said supporting-menne, :t treme rockingly mounted on said sugporting;` ineens, und n blade-holder also constituting` an 0perziting handle rigidly mounted in seid frame, whereby rocking o'l the freine by Such blade-holder swings a, blade in theblaideholder into engagement with the one or the other strol'iping-rollcr, the stropping action occurring when the frame ltliueI rocked is moved bodily in opposite directions to cause said traction-wheels to roll on a plane sur- Ltzice and revolve .tle stropping-rollers.

Q. In :t razor-blade stropper, the coinbimition ot' Supperting-means, combined tractionwheels :ind stroppiiig-rollers rigidly connected together and unitedly revolubly mounted in seid Supporting-means, a, iframe rockingly mounted on said supporting-mezins7 n bladeholder also constituting' an operating handle rigidly mounted in Said :trannea whereby rocking of the rnme by n Such blade-holder Swings a blade in the blade-holder into engagement with the one or the other stropping-roller, the Sharpening action occurring` when the lrnme thus rocked is moved in opposite directionel to causek seid traction-Wheels to roll on u pleine surface and revolve the stropping-rollers, it ratchet-Wheel fixed to each e'l seid Shopping-rollers, and means to cooperate With the ratchet-Wheel of the active Stropping-roller to prevent reverse rotation thereof.

3. In a. razor-blade stopper, the combination of supporting-means, combined traction- Wheels and stropping-rollers rigidly connected together' and unitedly revolubly mounted in said means, :i iframe rocking'ly mounted on said supportiiig-means, ai blade-holder rigidly mounted in sniditrnme, whereby rocking of the iframe swings :t blade in the bindeholder into engagement with 'the one or the other stropping-roller, the sharpening action occurring when the iframe thus rocked is moved in opposite directions to cause seid traction-wheels to roll on e plane surface :ind to revolve the etroppingi-rollers, a. ratchetwlieel lixed to erich oi seid st-ropping-rollere, and a double-ended spring mounted on Said treme and adapted, when the frame is rocked to swing the blade-edge into cooperative relation with one oif said stroDying-rollers7 to have one of its ends engage the correspondingratchet-wheel to prevent reverse rotation oil' Such stroppingr-roller.

ll. In e rruaor-blzule stropper, the combinetion of supporting-means, con'ibined traction- Wheels and stropping-rollere rigidly connected together :nid unitedly revolubly mounted insaid supportirig-means, :i treme rockingly mounted on ,mid supportiiig-menne, :t biedeholder also couetitutinf; an operating-handle ri `gidly mounted in Said frame, and ineens to prevent bziclWzi rd turning of the active ,stroppinsg-roller, rocking of the trame by such blade-holder envingine` i blade in the bladeholder .into engagement with the one or the other shopping-roller, the Sl'ropping action occurring When the frame thus rocked is moved in opposite directions to cause seid traction-Wheels to roll on zt plane-Surface and revolve the shopping-rollers.

ln Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE G. FLOYD. 

